The Science of Heredity
Chapter 5: Genetics- The Science of Heredity
Big Idea:
Organisms produced by sexual reproduction inherit half their DNA from each parent. The new combination of DNA determines an organism's traits.
Essential Questions:
- What controls the inheritance of traits in organisms?
- What is the probability and how does it help explain the results of genetic crosses?
- What role do chromosomes play in inheritance?
- What forms the genetic code?
Topics:
- Mendel's Work
- Probability and Heredity
- The Cell and Inheritance
- Genes, DNA and Proteins
Investigations:
Modern Genetics
Chapter 6: Modern Genetics
Big Idea
A person's traits depend on which alleles are inherited from each parent, how those alleles work together, and environmental factors.
Essential Questions:
- What are some patterns of inheritance in humans?
- How do geneticists trace the inheritance of traits?
- What are three ways of producing organisms with desired traits?
Topics:
- Human Inheritance
- Human Genetic Disorders
- Advances in Genetics
Investigations:
Changes Over Time
Chapter 7: Changes Over Time
Big Idea
Genetic variation and environmental factors have together resulted in the evolution of species.
Essential Questions:
- How does natural selection lead to evolution?
- What evidence supports the theory of evolution?
- What factors have contributed to the diversity of species?
- How does a branching tree diagram show evolutionary relationships?
Topics:
- Darwin's Theory
- Evidence of Evolution
- Evolution of Species
- Classifying Organisms
- Branching Trees
Investigations:
Earth's History
Chapter 8: Earth's History
Big Idea
Evidence from rocks shows that life has existed for billions of years and how Earth has changed over time.
Essential Questions:
- How do geologists determine the relative age of rocks?
- How does the theory of plate tectonics explain the movement of Earth's landmasses?
- What were the major events of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras?
Topics:
- The Rock Cycle
- The Relative Age of Rocks
- Radioactive Dating
- Movement of Earth's Plates
- The Geologic Time Scale
Investigations: